Cylists without lights - disproportionately annoys me!!

parkmalco

whats with these cyclists riding on the road holding up all the traffic when there is an empty cycle lane at the side of them?
they get a blast from my horn to scare the bejeasus out of them.

esuhl

Mids_Costcutter wrote: »

Are you a cycling Ray Mears? Are these journeys your most direct route home or just for fun?

Ha ha - a bit of both. I decided I needed to do some form of excercise a year or so ago, and so started cycling for fun - just the odd 1 or 2 mile trip round the local country park to begin with. I discovered more and more countryside around me that I never knew existed (I thought it was all grey roads, city centres and private land!). After a few trips, I realised that I could cycle a fair distance too.

I don't drive any more, so I found it useful to combine my cross-country treks with a trip to the supermarket (it's also easier to persuade yourself to get on your bike if you tell yourself it's so that you can buy something for dinner, rather than just "for fun"!)

The nearest supermaket is a 10-mile round trip uphill through dense forest from my house in one direction, or there's another 16-miles in the other direction across a mix of scrubland, forest, gravel/sand paths, etc., passing a few farms and meadows - very picturesque... but no roads, no houses (most of the way), and obviously no streetlights! I've even found a route to a tiny village with a great pub and a brewery with a massive off licence... which makes it worth cycling 22+ miles! All of that's entirely off-road too except for 1/2 a mile at each end.

Of course, I could take the roads, and it would be quicker (and a lot less muddy)... but... that just doesn't seem like much fun to me.

esuhl

parkmalco wrote: »

whats with these cyclists riding on the road holding up all the traffic when there is an empty cycle lane at the side of them?
they get a blast from my horn to scare the bejeasus out of them.

Why? Do you think you own the roads or something?

Quite often cycle paths are poorly thought out (and in some cases downright dangerous). It's perfectly legal for a cyclist to use the main carriageway if there's a segregated cycle path - it's their choice.

Mids_Costcutter

parkmalco wrote: »

whats with these cyclists riding on the road holding up all the traffic when there is an empty cycle lane at the side of them?
they get a blast from my horn to scare the bejeasus out of them.

And what will that achieve? Antagonise the cyclist? Put them off cycling? They're using the highway by right, not under license and are helping to reduce congestion.

Harry_Flashman

esuhl wrote: »

Ha ha - a bit of both. I decided I needed to do some form of excercise a year or so ago, and so started cycling for fun - just the odd 1 or 2 mile trip round the local country park to begin with. I discovered more and more countryside around me that I never knew existed (I thought it was all grey roads, city centres and private land!). After a few trips, I realised that I could cycle a fair distance too.

I don't drive any more, so I found it useful to combine my cross-country treks with a trip to the supermarket (it's also easier to persuade yourself to get on your bike if you tell yourself it's so that you can buy something for dinner, rather than just "for fun"!)

The nearest supermaket is a 10-mile round trip uphill through dense forest from my house in one direction, or there's another 16-miles in the other direction across a mix of scrubland, forest, gravel/sand paths, etc., passing a few farms and meadows - very picturesque... but no roads, no houses (most of the way), and obviously no streetlights! I've even found a route to a tiny village with a great pub and a brewery with a massive off licence... which makes it worth cycling 22+ miles! All of that's entirely off-road too except for 1/2 a mile at each end.

Of course, I could take the roads, and it would be quicker (and a lot less muddy)... but... that just doesn't seem like much fun to me.

Excellent stuff - all power to you my friend. It sounds great - although not for me (I prefer my cross country trips to be powered )

parkmalco

Mids_Costcutter wrote: »

And what will that achieve? Antagonise the cyclist? Put them off cycling? They're using the highway by right, not under license and are helping to reduce congestion.

they create more congestion as they are holding up the traffic as cars are coming the other way.you can't always pass them at the same time although some car drivers try and nearly ram the oncoming traffic off the road.
a good friend of mine was killed the day before his 21st birthday riding a bike on the same road where i encounter these idiots risking their lives every day,when there is a perfectly good cycle path built especially for them with tax payers money.
thats why it is so important to use cycle lanes when provided,to not use them is idiotic especially on a busy "a" roads near lincoln.
cyclists get on the path for everyones sake.

Rosemary7391

parkmalco wrote: »

they create more congestion as they are holding up the traffic as cars are coming the other way.you can't always pass them at the same time although some car drivers try and nearly ram the oncoming traffic off the road.
a good friend of mine was killed the day before his 21st birthday riding a bike on the same road where i encounter these idiots risking their lives every day,when there is a perfectly good cycle path built especially for them with tax payers money.
thats why it is so important to use cycle lanes when provided,to not use them is idiotic especially on a busy "a" roads near lincoln.
cyclists get on the path for everyones sake.

I nearly got run over attempting to 'get on the path' once - some cycle lanes are so shockingly badly organised it is safer to stay on the road. You don't always realise until you try to use them either.

Mids_Costcutter

parkmalco wrote: »

they create more congestion as they are holding up the traffic as cars are coming the other way.you can't always pass them at the same time although some car drivers try and nearly ram the oncoming traffic off the road.
a good friend of mine was killed the day before his 21st birthday riding a bike on the same road where i encounter these idiots risking their lives every day,when there is a perfectly good cycle path built especially for them with tax payers money.
thats why it is so important to use cycle lanes when provided,to not use them is idiotic especially on a busy "a" roads near lincoln.
cyclists get on the path for everyones sake.

If there's not space to pass a cyclist safely than don't do it, wait until you can pass them with at least 1.5m clearance. As a motorist it will make little difference to your journey time. If a cyclist is occupying a position in the centre of a lane then they're doing it for their own safety and have a right to do so.

Creating congestion? Cyclists can filter through queuing motor traffic and aren't adding to it.

Have you tried the cycle path you refer to yourself? I'm sure there must be a good reason why a lot of cyclists aren't using it. If there are frequent crossovers at side roads / entrances to properties then this can be especially hazardous for cyclists.

Sorry to hear about your friend.

parkmalco

Mids_Costcutter wrote: »

If there's not space to pass a cyclist safely than don't do it, wait until you can pass them with at least 1.5m clearance. As a motorist it will make little difference to your journey time. If a cyclist is occupying a position in the centre of a lane then they're doing it for their own safety and have a right to do so.

Creating congestion? Cyclists can filter through queuing motor traffic and aren't adding to it.

Have you tried the cycle path you refer to yourself? I'm sure there must be a good reason why a lot of cyclists aren't using it. If there are frequent crossovers at side roads / entrances to properties then this can be especially hazardous for cyclists.

Sorry to hear about your friend.

the path is fine it runs down the a46 from lincoln to welton,has safe crossings around the roundabout and runs in a straight line with only 2 junctions to cross for 6 miles.i used to cycle it when i was a kid but it was only half that length then.the a46 is a notorius killer road which even had a tv programme about it called killer road.

Harry_Flashman

Mids_Costcutter wrote: »

If there's not space to pass a cyclist safely than don't do it, wait until you can pass them with at least 1.5m clearance. As a motorist it will make little difference to your journey time. If a cyclist is occupying a position in the centre of a lane then they're doing it for their own safety and have a right to do so.

Then they should move over and create the space for those who actually pay to use the roads to get around them.